Riichi Mahjong Yaku Lists Compared

These days, there's a lot of English language options for Riichi Mahjong. But one thing that's always seems different is how the yaku are translated. It can lead to confusion when switching clients. To help with that, here is a list of terms used in EMA ¹, WRC ², SEGA NET MJ ³, Nintendo Clubhouse Games, Final Fantasy XIV Doman Mahjong ⁴ and Mahjong Soul.

1 Han

Closed Tsumo

Japanase: ツモ, 略称ツモ, or 門前清自摸和
romaji: tsumo, menzen tsumo, or menzenchin tsumohou
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Fully Concealed Hand
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Closed Tsumo
Doman Mahjong: Menzen Tsumo
Mahjong Soul: Fully Concealed Hand

Value: 1 han
Conditions: closed hand only

You win on a self-drawn tile with a closed hand.

Riichi

Japanase: 立直 or リーチ
romaji: riichi
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Riichi
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Riichi
Doman Mahjong: Riichi
Mahjong Soul: Riichi

Value: 1 han
Conditions: closed hand only

You bet 1000 points and freeze you tenpai (ready) hand. Until you win, deal in, or get to an exhaustive draw, you can only draw and discard. Closed kans can be declared if it doesn't change the shape and waits of your hand. You have to win on the first possible win, else you become premamently furiten. If you are not tenpai, you will have to pay a chombo if the game reaches an exhausitve draw. 

Double Riichi

Japanase: ダブルリーチ
romaji: daburu riichi
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Double Riichi
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Double Riichi
Doman Mahjong: Double Riichi
Mahjong Soul: Double Riichi

Value: additional 1 han to Riichi
Conditions: closed hand only; first turn only. Any call made before nullifies this. 

Ippatsu

Japanase: 一発
romaji: ippatsu
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Ippatsu
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: One-Shot
Doman Mahjong: Ippatsu
Mahjong Soul: Ippatsu

Value: 1 han
Conditions: riichi

You win in the first turn after Riichi. The turn can may be prematurely when another player makes a call. Declaring Riichi is not a call. 

Pinfu

Japanase: 平和
romaji: pinfu
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Pinfu
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: All Runs
Doman Mahjong: Pinfu
Mahjong Soul: Pinfu

Value: 1 han
Conditions: closed hand

Pinfu translates to “without points”. While you can only get this hand when it entirely consists of runs, the final wait must be one that doesn't hive you extra fu points: no penchan (edge wait), no kanchan (closed wait) and no tanki (pair wait). That means the only wait possible for this is a ryanmen (two-sided run wait). 

Note: If you tsumo, don't ever sort the tile you've drawn into your hand. If you did, you might get this yaku denied. In general, it's best you sort your hand after you've discarded. 

Twin Runs

Japanase: 一盃口
romaji: iipeikou or iipei
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Pure Double Chow
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Twin Runs
Doman Mahjong: Pure Double Chi
Mahjong Soul: Pure Double Sequence

Value: 1 han
Conditions: closed hand

To get this, you need two identical runs, i. e., same suit and same numbers. If you have this pattern twice, this yaku is overridden by Two Twin Runs. 

Last Tile Draw / Under the Sea

Japanase: 海底撈月
romaji: haitei raoyue or haitei
EMA: Under the Sea
WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Last Tile Draw
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Last-Ditch Tsumo
Doman Mahjong: Last Tile Draw
Mahjong Soul: Under the Sea

Value: 1 han

To get this, you need to win on the last tile drawn from the live wall. Rishan tiles, kan replacement tiles, do not count for this yaku. Haitei raoyue literally means scooping up (the reflection of) the moon from the bottom of the sea. 

Last Tile Claim / Under the River

Japanase: 河底撈魚
romaji: houtei raoyui or houtei
EMA: Under the Sea
WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Last Tile Claim
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Last-Ditch Ron
Doman Mahjong: Last Tile Claim
Mahjong Soul: Under the River

Value: 1 han

To get this, you need to win on the last tile discarded in a deal. Similar to haitei, houtei raoyui means “catching the last fish from the bottom of the river”. 

Dead Wall Draw

Japanase: 嶺上開花
romaji: rishan kaihou or rinshan
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: After A Kong
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Dead Wall Draw
Doman Mahjong: After A Kan
Mahjong Soul: After A Kan

Value: 1 han

To get this, you need to win on the replacement tile you get from forming a Kan. In sanma (3-player Mahjong), you the replacement tile you get after declaring you nuki dora also counts for this yaku. This is why “After A Kong/Kan” is not a good name for this. Rinshan Kaihou literally means “flower on the mountain” where the wall is called the mountain. 

Robbing a Kan

Japanase: 搶槓
romaji: chankan
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Robbing A Kong
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Stolen Kan
Doman Mahjong: Robbing A Kan
Mahjong Soul: Robbing A Kan

Value: 1 han

To get this, you need to win on another player extending a minkou (melded triplet) to a shouminkan (extended kan). In sanma (3-player Mahjong), stealing nuki dora also counts for this yaku. This is why “Robbing/Stolen Kong/Kan” is not a good name for this. Notes: while gerenally you cannot steal from a player declaring an ankan (closed kan), some rule sets have exceptions to that, e. g., EMA rules in case of 13 Valueables

All Simples

Japanase: 断幺九
romaji: tanyaochu or tanyao
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: All Simples
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: All Simples
Doman Mahjong: Tanyao
Mahjong Soul: All Simples

Value: 1 han

To get this, your hand may only consist of tiles numbered 2 to 8. Usually, this yaku doesn't have any requirements (kuitan ari). Some variants need the hand to be closed for this yaku to be valid (kuitan nashi). 

Prevalent Wind

Japanase: 場風 役牌
romaji: bakaze yakuhai
EMA, WRC: Prevalent Wind
SEGA NET MJ: Yakuhai
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Auspicious / Perfect Winds
Doman Mahjong: Yaku Tiles
Mahjong Soul: Prevalent Wind

Value: 1 han

To get this, your hand needs to contain a triplet of the current prevalent wind, also called round wind. This can also be stacked onto Seat Wind.
Sometimes, players refer to the actual wind that gives this yaku instead, e. g., ton (East) or double ton (Double East), if East was also Seat Wind. Other players think of all yakuhai yaku as the same yaku, so does SEGA NET MJ and Doman Mahjong.
Nintendo Clubhouse Games has a different system to refer to these: Auspicious Winds mean either Prevalent Wind or Seat Wind, Perfect Winds mean both Prevalent Wind and Seat Wind. 

Seat Wind

Japanase: 自風 役牌
romaji: jikaze yakuhai
EMA, WRC: Seat Wind
SEGA NET MJ: Yakuhai
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Auspicious / Perfect Winds
Doman Mahjong: Yaku Tiles
Mahjong Soul: Seat Wind

Value: 1 han

To get this, your hand needs to contain a triplet of the current seat wind. This can also be stacked onto Prevalent Wind. 

Dragons

Japanase: 三元牌 役牌 or 三元牌
romaji: sangenpai yakuhai or sangenpai
EMA, WRC: Dragon Pung
SEGA NET MJ: Yakuhai
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Dragon Tiles
Doman Mahjong: Yaku Tiles
Mahjong Soul: Dragons

Value: 1 han

To get this, your hand needs to contain a triplet of dragons. This yaku can stack for different dragons and with Little Three Dragons. Sometimes, players refer to the actual dragon that gives this yaku instead, e. g., chun (Red Dragon. 

2 Han

All Triplets

Japanase: 対々和 or 対々
romaji: toitoihou or toitoi
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: All Pung
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: All Triplets
Doman Mahjong: All Pon
Mahjong Soul: All Triplets

Value: 2 han

To get this, your hand needs to consist of 4 triplets, matter if melded or concealed. For this yaku, any kan, open or concealed count as triplets. 

Tricolor Runs

Japanase: 三色同順 or 三色
romaji: sanshoku dojun or sanshoku
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Mixed Triple Chow
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Tricolor Run
Doman Mahjong: Mixed Triple Chi
Mahjong Soul: Mixed Triple Sequence

Value: 2 han, 1 han if hand is open

To get this, your hand needs to include three runs, each with the name numbers, but in three different suits. 

Seven Pairs

Japanase: 七対子 or 七対
romaji: chiitoitsu or chiitoi
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Seven Pairs
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Seven Pairs
Doman Mahjong: Seven Pairs
Mahjong Soul: Seven Pairs

Value: 2 han, fixed 25 fu

To get this, your hand needs to consist of 7 pairs. No pair is allowed twice. 

Pure Straight

Japanase: 一気通貫 or 一通
romaji: ikkitsuukan or ittsuu
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Pure Straight
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Pure Straight
Doman Mahjong: Pure Straight
Mahjong Soul: Pure Straight

Value: 2 han, 1 han if hand is open

To get this, your hand needs to include three runs: 123, 456 and 789 in the same suit. 

Terminals and Honors in All Sets

Japanase: 混全帯么九 or 全帯么 or 全帯
romaji: honchantaiyaochuu or chantaiyao or chanta
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Outside Hand
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Terminals and Honors
Doman Mahjong: Outside Hand
Mahjong Soul: Half Outside Hand

Value: 2 han, 1 han if hand is open

To get this, every set must include a terminal or honor tile. If no honors are present in this hand, this yaku gets overridden by Terminals in All Sets. If no runs are present in this hand, this yaku gets overridden by All Terminals and Honors. 

Three Concealed Triplets

Japanase: 三暗刻 or 三暗
romaji: sanankou or sanan
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Three Concealed Pungs
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Three Hidden Triplets
Doman Mahjong: Three Concealed Pon
Mahjong Soul: Three Concealed Triplets

Value: 2 han

To get this, you need 3 concealed triplets. For this yaku, concealed kan count as triplets. This yaku can stack with All Triplets and Three Kan. 

Tricolor Triplets

Japanase: 三色同刻
romaji: sanshoku dokou
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Triple Pong
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Tricolor Triplets
Doman Mahjong: Triple Pon
Mahjong Soul: Triple Triplets

Value: 2 han

To get this, you need 3 triplets with the same number (in 3 differents suits). 

Three Kan

Japanase: 三槓子
romaji: sankantsu
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Three Kongs
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Triple Kan
Doman Mahjong: Three Kan
Mahjong Soul: Three Quards

Value: 2 han

To get this, you need 3 kans, no matter if open or concealed. This yaku can stack with All Triplets and Three Concealed Triplets. 

Little Three Sages

Japanase: 小三元
romaji: shousangen
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Little Three Dragons
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Small Three Dragons
Doman Mahjong: Little Three Dragons
Mahjong Soul: Little Three Dragons

Value: 2 han

To get this, your hand needs two triplets of dragons and pair of the remaining dragon. This yaku stacks with Dragons, meaning the hand will end up with 4 han minimum. 

All Terminals and Honors

Japanase: 混老頭
romaji: honroutou
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: All Terminals and Honors
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Pure Terminals and Honors
Doman Mahjong: All Terminals and Honors
Mahjong Soul: All Terminals and Honors

Value: 2 han

To get this, every set must be a triplet of terminals or honors. This stacks with Seven Pairs and All Triplets. This yaku overrides Terminals and Honors in All Sets If no honors are present in this hand, this yaku gets overridden by All Terminals. If no terimals are present in this hand, this yaku gets overridden by All Honors. 

3 Han

Terminals in All Sets

Japanase: 純全帯么九 or 純全帯么 or 純全
romaji: junchantaiyaochuu or junchantaiyao or junchan
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Terminals in All Sets
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Terminal Foundations
Doman Mahjong: Terminals in All Groups
Mahjong Soul: Full Outside Hand

Value: 3 han, 2 han if hand is open

To get this, every set must include a terminal tile. This yaku overrides Terminals and Honors in All Sets If no runs are present in this hand, this yaku gets overridden by All Terminals. 

Half Flush

Japanase: 混一色
romaji: honiisou or honitsu
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Half Flush
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Half Flush
Doman Mahjong: Half Flush
Mahjong Soul: Half Flush

Value: 3 han, 2 han if hand is open

To get this, your hand must only consist of one suit and honours. If no honors are present, this yaku get overridden by Full Flush. If only honors are present, this yaku get overridden by All Honors. 

Two Twin Runs

Japanase: 二盃口
romaji: ryanpeikou
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Twice Pure Double Chows
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Double Twin Runs
Doman Mahjong: Twice Pure Double Chi
Mahjong Soul: Twice Pure Double Sequence

Value: 3 han Conditions: closed hand

To get this, your hand must have two different Twin Runs, i. e., you need two pairs of identical runs. 

5 Han or More

Full Flush

Japanase: 清一色
romaji: chiniisou or chinitsu
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Full Flush
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Full Flush
Doman Mahjong: Full Flush
Mahjong Soul: Full Flush

Value: 6 han, 5 han if hand is open

To get this, your hand must only consist of one suit. This yaku overrides by Half Flush. 

Nagashi Mangan

Japanase: 流し満貫
romaji: nagashi mangan
EMA: Nagashi Mangan
SEGA NET MJ: All Terminal and Honor Discard
Doman Mahjong: Nagashi Mangan
Mahjong Soul: Mangan at Draw

Value: Mangan

To get this, the deal must be played to ryuukyoku (exhaustive draw) and every single discard of yours must be a terminal or an honor tile. None of your discards may have been called. You don't need a tenpai hand for this yaku.
This, too is not a default yaku. EMA rules just mention it to clarify it was removed in 2016. 

Yakuman

Great Three Sages

Japanase: 大三元
romaji: daisangen
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Big Three Dragons
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Large Three Dragons
Doman Mahjong: Big Three Dragons
Mahjong Soul: Big Three Dragons

Value: Yakuman

To get this, your hand must include triplet of all dragons. 

Four Concealed Triplets

Japanase: 四暗刻
romaji: suuankou
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Four Concealed Pung
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Four Hidden Triplets
Doman Mahjong: Four Concealed Pon
Mahjong Soul: Four Concealed Triplets

Value: Yakuman

To get this, your hand must have four concealed triplets. Any concealed kan also count for this yaku. In variants with more than one Yakuman per Yaku, waiting on a tanki (pair wait) ups this yaku to the variant 四暗刻単騎 (suuankou tanki) with two yakuman. 

Thirteen Valuables

Japanase: 国士無双
romaji: kokushi musou or kokushi
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Thirteen Orphans
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Thirteen Orphans
Doman Mahjong: Thirteen Orphans
Mahjong Soul: Thirteen Orphans

Value: Yakuman

To get this, your hand must consist of 1 and 9 of each suit, and each of the honors plus an extra tile from the aforementioned. In variants with more than one Yakuman per Yaku, waiting with a 13-sided wait ups this yaku to the variant 国士無双１３面待ち (kokushi musou juusan menmachi) with two yakuman. 

Little Four Winds

Japanase: 小四喜
romaji: shousuushi
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Little Four Winds
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Little Four Winds
Doman Mahjong: Little Four Winds
Mahjong Soul: Little Four Winds

Value: Yakuman

To get this, your hand must include 3 triplets of winds and a pair of the remaining wind. 

Great Four Winds

Japanase: 大四喜
romaji: daisuushi
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Big Four Winds
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Big Four Winds
Doman Mahjong: Big Four Winds
Mahjong Soul: Big Four Winds

Value: Yakuman

To get this, your hand must include 4 triplets of winds. In variants with more than one Yakuman per Yaku, this yaku is worth two yakuman. 

All Honors

Japanase: 字一色
romaji: tsuuiisou
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: All Honors
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Pure Honors
Doman Mahjong: All Honors
Mahjong Soul: All Honors

Value: Yakuman

To get this, your hand must consist of only honors. 

All Terminals

Japanase: 清老頭
romaji: chinroutou
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: All Terminals
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Pure Terminals
Doman Mahjong: All Terminals
Mahjong Soul: All Terminals

Value: Yakuman

To get this, your hand must consist of only terminals. 

All Green

Japanase: 緑一色
romaji: ryuuiisou
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: All Green
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Pure Green
Doman Mahjong: All Green
Mahjong Soul: All Green

Value: Yakuman

To get this, your hand must consist of only green tiles: 2,3,4,6,8 of sou (bamboo) and hatsu (Green Dragon). Note: some variants require hatsu be part of the hand. 

Nine Gates

Japanase: 九連宝燈
romaji: chuuren poutou
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Nine Gates
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Nine Needs
Doman Mahjong: Nine Gates
Mahjong Soul: Nine Gates

Value: Yakuman

To get this, your hand must be: 1112345678999 in a single suit, and extra tile from the same suit. In variants with more than one Yakuman per Yaku, waiting with the exact pattern 1112345678999 results in a 9-sided wait, which ups this yaku to the variant 純正九蓮宝燈 (junsei chuuren poutou) with two yakuman. 

Four Kan

Japanase: 緑一色
romaji: ryuuiisou
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Four Kongs
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Quadruple Kan
Doman Mahjong: Four Kan
Mahjong Soul: Four Quads

Value: Yakuman

To get this, your hand must consist 4 kans. All kinds of kan qualify for this yaku. 

Blessing of Heaven

Japanase: 天和
romaji: tenhou
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Blessing of Heaven
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Blessing of Heaven
Doman Mahjong: Blessing of Heaven
Mahjong Soul: Blessing of Heaven

Value: Yakuman

To get this, your must win as east on your initial deal. In variants with more than one Yakuman per Yaku, if you happent to also have a different Yakuman, you automatically get the rarer wait variant. 

Blessing of Earth

Japanase: 地和
romaji: chihou
EMA, WRC, SEGA NET MJ: Blessing of Earth
Nintendo Clubhouse Games: Blessing of Earth
Doman Mahjong: Blessing of Earth
Mahjong Soul: Blessing of Earth

Value: Yakuman

To get this, your must win on self-draw in the first turn. Any call made before this will invalidate this yaku. 

Blessing of Man

Japanase: 人和
romaji: renhou
EMA: Blessing of Man
SEGA NET MJ: Blessing of Man
Mahjong Soul: Hand of Man

Value: varies, in EMA rules: unstackable mangan, in SEGA NET MJ: Baiman, in Mahjong Soul: custom rules Yakuman

Not a default yaku, but without it, the trinity of ten (Heaven), chi (Earth) and ren (Man) wouldn't be complete.
To get this, your must win on a discard in the first turn. Any call made before this will invalidate this yaku. 

Edit History

• 2021-07-20: Fixed Copy/Paste Error in Full Flush
• 2021-07-21: Added Information from SEGA NET MJ; added references where possible.
• 2021-10-08: Updated Links; removed dead links.

References